Rail-joint.



N 827,111. I PATEN'I'ED JULY 31, 1906. w. 11. MOGU'RDY.

RAIL 101m".

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 31, 1906.

Application filed November 15, 1905. Serial No. 287.448.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM DAVID Mc- CURDY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Dennison, in the county of Tuscarawas and State ofOhio, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, ofWhich the following is a specification.

My improved railroad-rail joint is formed by means of a metal couplingor connectingpiece applied to the meeting ends of the rails and which iseffective without the aid of bolts or spikes, while providing a firm orrigid support for the rail ends. The coupling comprises a form of chairadapted to receive the meeting ends of the rails and a block, preferablyof iron, which serves as a wedge for hollding the coupling firmlyengaged with the rai s.

The details of construction are as hereinafter described, andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a planview of my improved rail joint or coupling applied to the meeting endsof rails. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is aperspective view of the coupling proper.

A A indicate the meeting ends of railroadrails of the ordinary type, andB the metal coupling or connecting-piece applied thereto.

C is an iron block in wedge form, which is applied between the web ofthe rails and the inclined side of the coupling. The details ofconstruction of the latter are as follows: It has a vertical side 1,which is flared at the top and bottom corresponding to the shape of therails A, or, in other words, whereby it is adapted to fit against theweb of the rail as -well as the under side of the head and the top ofthe base-flange. For the sake of combining lightness and strength to amaximum degree vertical braces 2 are arranged at the ends of thecoupling and also intermediately thereof, as shown in Fig. 1. Theopposite side 3 of the coupling B is setoff from the rail and inclinedoutwardly from the bottom upward. The inner side adjacent to the web ofthe rails is corrugated, as shown in Fig. 2. Vertical braces 4 arearranged on the outer side for supporting the part 3, and ribs 5 extendunder the bottom of the coupling and connect the opposite braces 2 and4. Atthe ends of the inclined part 3 flanges 6 extend inward toward thebody of the rails, as shown. The block O is preferably of iron, and itsouter side is inclined corresponding to the inclination of the part 3 ofthe coupling, whereby the block has practically the form and function ofa wedge. As shown best in Fig. 2, this wedge is forced down tightlybetween the webs of the rails and the inner corrugated side of thecoupling, and thus holds the latter firmly engaged with the rail ends,so that it not only connects them and holds them in rigid alinement, butsupports them as well under the weight of passing trains.

In order to apply my improved coupling and rail-joint, the Wedge C isplaced in the coupling or chair and the rail ends are inserted fromopposite directions, they being slid into place until their ends meet,as shown in Fig. 1. It is obvious that in this operation the wedge Cmust be supported as high as practicab1ethat is to say, supported incontact with the upper horizontal flange 7 of thecouplin untiltherailsarein lace, when it is allowed to drop and is force downward by pressureor the blows of a hammer or sledge until it is firmly engaged, asindicated in Fig. 2.

When once in place, the corrugations of the coupling B prevent itssliding upward or becoming loosened.

For convenience in manipulating the wedge it is provided on the upperside with two cavities 8, (see Fig. 1,) which are separated by a narrowpiece, and thus serve as fingerholds.

I preferably construct the coupling or railj oint of cast metal, or itmay be constructed of sheet or boiler plate.

What I claim is 1. The combination, with the meeting ends of rails, ofthe coupling and fastening device comprising a metal coupling adaptedfor contact with one side of the rails, and having an opposite portionwhich is inclined outward and corrugated on the inner side and alsoprovided with end flanges projecting inward, or toward the rails, and awedge arranged between the corrugated side and the adjacent Webs of therails, and held inner side and also provided With exterior againstendwise movement by the aforesaid braces and at the ends withinwardly-pro- IO flanges, substantially as described. I jecting flangesfor holding a Wedge in place in 2. The improved coupling for railroadthemanner described.

rails, comprising a casting constructed on WILLIAM DAVI-D MOCURDY. oneside for contact With the rails, and pro- Witnesses: vided with braces,the opposite portion be- JAMES M. ELLIS,

ing inclined outward and corrugated on the S. THORN.

